Typically, post-frame construction of buildings employs setting a series of pilings, usually made of wood, into the earth to define the perimeter of the building. Once the perimeter is set with the pilings, the building is framed in an upright position by connecting wall girts to the adjacent pilings. A disadvantage of using wood piling is that they can break down in the earth over time and, in the case of chemically treated wood, the pilings can release chemicals into the ground. To overcome this particular problem, it is known in the art to use a two-piece piling assembly having an upper and a lower piling where the lower piling is reinforced concrete. Once the lower piling is set into the ground, the upper piling is attached to the upper piling and framing of the building commences.
To facilitate this type of construction, the upper and lower pilings can be connected at a hinge. The building walls are framed on the ground using the upper pilings. Following construction of the frame, each wall is rotated upward about the hinged connection and pinned for retention.
An example of this type of construction can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,146 to Parry (the '146 patent). A lower hinge plate is connected to the top of the lower piling by fasteners. The hinge plate is a generally flat plate having a pair of opposing walls that extend vertically from edges of the hinge plate. A pair of opposing grooves are defined in front edges of the opposing walls, at the plate. Similarly, a pair of opposing holes are defined near the rear edges of the opposing walls. A shoe is attached to a lower end of the upper piling by fasteners. The shoe has a flat bottom and three walls that extend vertically from edges of the bottom. Two of the walls are opposing with the third wall extending between the rear edges. A pair of opposing pins extend from the lower front edge of the opposing walls, at the bottom. Similarly, a pair of opposing holes are defined in the opposing walls near the rear of the walls, spaced from the bottom.
The lower end of the lower piling is set in the ground, leaving the upper end of the piling exposed. On the ground, frames, made up of columns with rafters or beams, are connected together at a gable. The shoes are attached to the lower ends of the columns. Each frame is positioned such that the pins of the shoe are slid into the corresponding grooves on the lower hinge plate. Using a cable assembly, the frame is pulled into an upright position, rotating about the pins. This brings the holes on the shoe into alignment with the holes on the lower hinge plate. The frame is retained in an upright position by inserting pins through the holes.
This type of construction increases the amount of work that can be performed at ground level and could conceivably allow a single individual to hoist the frame into an upright position. However, it would still require more than one person to align the pins of the frame to the hinge plates of the lower pilings that are pre-set into the ground. The present invention is aimed at one or more of the problems identified above.